Already Longest Flight Without Landing

REAL TIME UPDATE -- 0950 EST Worries over whether he has the fuel to go the distance, Steve Fossett nonetheless continued on his journey toward a world record Thursday morning, piloting his Global Flyer toward its base in Salina, KS, and breaking at least one record on the way.

"Let's go for it," Fossett told Mission Control late Wednesday night, in spite of the mysterious disappearance of some 2,600 pounds of fuel early in the flight. He was quoted by the Salina Journal.

Much of the decision to continue past Hawaii was based on the jet stream. After weeks of delays caused by concerns about the jet stream and the turbulence therein, Fossett is now getting a better-than-expected tailwind as he rides it eastbound toward Kansas. He's also slowed down his true airspeed in an effort to save fuel. Whereas Global Flyer's TAS was approximately 345 kts earlier in the flight, he's now throttled back to approximately 300 kts.

As of 0945 Thursday morning, Fossett was "feet dry," having crossed over the California coast on his way to a mid-afternoon landing back at Salina. There, the world record awaits him.

FMI: www.globalflyer.com